Erdogan says his hotel on Turkey's Aegean coast bombed after he left

People take to the street in support of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on July 16 in Antalya, Turkey. PHOTO: AFP

ANKARA (AFP, REUTERS) - Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said on Saturday (July 16) that his hotel on Turkey's Aegean coast was bombed after he left, hours after the armed forces attempted to overthrow him.

But he remained defiant, vowing: "We will not leave our country to occupiers."

The attempted coup by a section of Turkey's military was an act of treason and is a reason to "clean up" the armed forces, the president said.

"What is being perpetrated is a treason and a rebellion. They will pay a heavy price for this act of treason," Erdogan said at Istanbul's airport.

Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim meanwhile said over 120 people had been arrested over the coup attempt.

Erdogan said he would stay with his "people" and not go anywhere, with "millions in the streets" protesting the coup attempt.

Erodgan also said in comments broadcast live on private station NTV that the attempted coup was the work of followers of US-based cleric Fethullah Gulen, a cleric Erdogan has long accused of attempting to use his followers in the judiciary and military to overthrow the government.

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